Lid for baskets



May 7, 1935 s. HUsToN Er AL 2,000,639

LID FOR BASKETS Filed May 22, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 7 3935 s. HUsToN Er AL 2,000,539

LID FOR BASKETS v Filed May 22, 1934 2 sheets-Sheet 2 l .Y 36' ,l 3 /32 /Zw 33 /E10 f3; n A/' Il', X\ l j l 24 25 20 Z4 25' 5/ Inventors 577%/715074 l/usn Zig, 2 XP. E #us/70 `/qllorney Patented May 7, 1935 PATENT OFFICE LID FOR BASKETS Stinson Huston and Robert E. Huston, y Trinity, Tex.

Application May 2z, 1934, serial No. 727,002

9 Claims. '(01. 217-124) Our invention relates generally to lids for fruit and vegetable shipping baskets, and an important object of our invention is to provide lids ofthe character indicated which are much less subject to 'being' `broken than presently used lids, and thereby enable packers and shippers to avoid the major part of the waste and loss now being'suffered in the use of present types of lids.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will be apparent from a reading of theffollowing description in connection with the drawings, wherein for purposes of illustration we have shown preferred embodiments of our invention.

In the drawings;

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one embodiment ofthe invention.A

` Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through Figure l takenapproximately on the line 2-2 and lookingin the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of another embodiment Aof the invention and Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view through Figure 3 taken approximately on the line 4-4` and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Veneer baskets used for shipping fruits and 'vegetables are ordinarily equipped with two wire handles which are placed on opposite sides of the top rim of the basket, the purpose of the handles being to aiford means for holding the cover of the baskets in place during transportation of the baskets. The covers now used are provided with a long slat the opposite ends' of which extend beyond the periphery of the lid and engage the wire handles so that the cover is held inplace.

When the baskets are packed for shipment the contents are crownedfor piled up above the top of the basket so that it is necessary to have a cover which will bend or spring to a concave form to accommodate this bulge pack.Y The bulge is' especially highwhen the baskets are packed with vegetables such as spinach, carrots, or green corn, in whichl instances it is not uncommon to have' a bulge of four inches above the top rim of the basket when the cover is to be put in place; This, of course, necessitates considerable bending and exing of the cover, and it frequently happens that the presently used covers will not stand the necessary amount vof bending without breaking. 'Il'he break usually occurs in the long slat whose opposite ends engage the basket handles', so that there is nothing left to adequately hold the cover in place, and the cover must be removed andv thrown away'and replaced. The loss of covers through this type of breakage is excessively great and is a very serious matter in pointfof expense and in point of inconvenience which is 'occasioned.

The long slat referred to which is subject to the described breaking which is the main cause of the ineiciency of the present basket covers is usually made of a single piece of'relatively heavy veneer and is stapled across the other parts of the cover and also on the top. We have discovered that by making the long piece in two or more parts or plies, arranged one above the other either in direct engagement or in spaced relation, that this long slat will regularly undergo bending and strains of the character indicated without breaking or fracturing, to a degree not possible with the ordinary solid slat.

We have also ydiscovered that certain dispositions.

of the plies with relation to the other parts'of the cover greatly increase the exibility and strength of the cover and aid in the manufacturing at low cost of 'a strong, durable, and eincient cover which is much superior to any covers now known to us.' Practical tests of the invention in comparison with the conventional covers have shown that our cover is about ten times more eicient and less liable to breakage than the conventional types. Y

Referring in detail tothe drawings, the numeral 5 refers generally to one embodiment of the invention which comprises the ring' or hoop 6 which is' formed of a suitably 'circularly bent piece ofv wood having the opposite ends overlapped as indicated atl 1. Across the top edge ofthe hoop 6 and extending slightlybeyond or v radially outwardly of the hoop 6 at their opposite ends are the cross slats 8, 9, IIJ and II which are spaced as indicated and secured to the upper .edge Vof the hoop 6 by means of staples which pass downwardly therethrough and enter vthe upper edge of the hoop 6. 'I'he foregoingstructure is common to several types of conventional basket covers or lids. n

The numeral I3 generally designates the composite slat of the invention which is composed of the upper ply Il and the lower plyI5. Instead ofresting across the top or bottom ofthe cross slats 8, 9, I and II as is the case with ordinary slat, the piles I4, I rest against and engage the top and' bottom of the cross slats as shown in Figure 2. Stapling I6 passing through the upper p`ly Il and the lower ply I5 and through the intermediate ones of the cross slats holds the piles and the cross slats rmly and flexibly secured together. It will be noted that the staplings I6 pass through approximately the center of the cross slats and are equally spaced longitudinally of the long slats I3, thereby distributing the strain and providing for uniform flexibility. The staplings are clinched both at the top and at the bottom.

Where the radially outward ends of the main slat I3 traverse the hoop I6 they are stapled as indicated at I'l, I8, I9 and 20, the stapling passing downwardly through both plies I4, I5 of the slat I3 and entering the upper edgel of the hoop I6. It is to be noted that the staplings I9, 20 also perform the office of holding the overlapping ends of the hoop 6 connected. If additional staplings (not shown) are used to hold the ends of the hoop together, the staplings I9, 20 assist these.

The remaining. embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 3 and 4 comprises the rim or hoop 20 having the overlapped ends generally designated 2| and having stapled to its upper edge the pairs of crossed and overlapping cross slats 22, 23 and 24, 25, and the overlying diagonally arranged top slat 26.

The slats 24, 25 are placed to overlie the slats 22, 23, and the diagonal slat 26 overlles the slats 24, 25. Staplings 21, 28 traverse and connect together the diagonal slat 26 and both slats 25 and 22, while the stapling 28 traverses and connects the diagonal slat 26 and the cross slats 24 and 23.

The numeral 29 designates the main slat in this embodimentwhich comprises the upper ply 30 andthe lower ply 3|. These plies are placed diagonally with respect to the cross slats and at right angles to the top slat 26, with the top ply 30 resting on the top slat 26 and the upper side of the cross slats 23 and 25 and 24 and 22, at opposite sides of the top slat 26. Stapling 32 traverses the upper and lower lplies of the main slat 25 and the cross slats 24 and 22, while stapling 23 traverses and connects the upper and lower plies of the main slat 29- and the cross slats 25 and 23.

Like the first described embodiment the radially outward end portions of the plies 30, 3| rest against each other and are traversed by staplings 34, 35 which enter the upper edge of the ends of the hoop and connect the ends of the hoop together; and the staplings 36,. 31 which traverse the opposite end of the main slat 29 secure it to the diametrically opposite upper edge portion of Y the hoop. By the described arrangement the strains are equally distributed in all directions and the flexibility of the cover is obtained in the desired degree, without in any way rendering the same weaker than conventional typesbut rather strengthening the same. It will be obvious that this greater flexibility and greater strength and more perfect distribution of strains will usually prevent the breaking of the main slats I3 and 29 respectively of the respective embodiments so that the coverswill not have to be thrown away or replaced, and the fruit will be maintained properly packed during shipment and transportation.

Although we have shown and described herein preferred embodiments of our invention, it is to be definitely understood that we do not desire to limit the application of the invention thereto, and any change or changes may be made in materials, and in structure and arrangement of parts, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new is:

1. In a flexible cover for fruit and vegetable baskets of the character described, a rim, cross slats fastened across and to the upper edge of the rim, and a main slat secured to and upon the said upper edge of the rim and having end portions extending radially outwardly of the rim at diametrically opposite sides thereof, and said main slat being composed of at least two plies, one of said plies overlying said cross pieces and the remaining one of said plies underlying said cross pieces, and means securing the respective cross slats and plies together.

2. In a basket of the type described including a rim, cross pieces lying upon and secured to the upper edges of said rim, a diagonal slat overlying said cross pieces and having its opposite ends secured to the upper edge of the rim, and a main slat having radially outward end portions fastened to the upper edge of said rim at di'ametrically opposite points, said main slat being composed of at least two plies, the upper one of said plies overlying said diagonal slat and said cross pieces, and another of said plies underlying said cross pieces, and means connecting -said plies to respective ones of said cross pieces.

3. A exible cover for a basket of the type (lescribed, saidcover comprising a rim for seating in the basket top, at least two cross slats lying across said rim and secured to. opposite sides thereof, a main slat lying across said slats, said main slat being composed of a lower ply lying across said rim and secured to the underside of said cross slats and to the rim, an upper ply lying across said rim and secured to the top side of said cross slats and to the rim, the opposite ends of said plies being secured together.

4. A flexible cover for a basket of the type described, said cover comprising a rim for seating in the basket top, at least two cross slats lying across said rim and secured to opposite sides thereof, a main slat lying across said cross slats, said main slat being composed of a lower ply lying acrossl said rim and secured to the underside of said cross slats and to the rim, an upper ply. lying across said rimV and secured to the top side of said cross slats and to the rim, the opposite ends of said plies being secured together, said main slat being disposed substantially at right angles to said cross slats.

5. A flexible cover for a basket of the type described, said cover comprising a rlm for seating in the basket top, at least two cross slats lying across said rim and secured to opposite sides thereof, a main slat lying across said cross slats, said main slat being composed of a lower ply lying across said rim and secured to the underside of said cross slats and to the rim, an upper ply lyingacross said rim and secured to the top side of said cross slats and to the rim, the opposite ends of said plies being secured together, said mainslat being disposed substantially diagonally with respect to said cross slats.

6. A flexible cover for a basket of the type described,`said cover comprising a rim for seating in the basket top, at least two cross slats lying across said rim and secured to opposite sides thereof, a main slatrlying across said cross slats, said main slat being composed of av lower ply lying across said rim and secured to the underside of said cross slats and to the rim, an upper ply lying across said rim and secured to the top side of said plies being secured together, said main slat being disposed substantially diagonal# 1y with respect to said cross slats, some of said cross slats lying across other of said cross slats. '7. A exible cover for a basket of the type described, said cover comprlsing a rim for seating in the basket top, at least two cross slats lying across said rim and secured to opposite sides thereof, a main slat lying across said cross slats, said main slat being composed of a lower ply lying across said rim and secured to the underside of said cross slats and to the rim, an upper ply lying across said rim and secured to the top side of said cross slats and to the rim, the oppcsite ends of said plies being secured together, said main slat being disposed substantially diagonally with respect to said cross slats, some of said cross slats lying across other of said cross slats, and a top slat overlying some of Vsaid cross slats and the lower ply of said main slat and underlying the upper ply of said main slat.

8. A fruit basket top of the character described comprising a, generally circular rirn, cross slats lying across and secured at their opposite ends to opposite'sides of said rim, a main slat composed of a lower ply engaging the undersides of said cross slats and lying across said rim, an

upper ply engaging the top sides of said cross slats and lying across said rim, the opposite ends of said plies being secured together and to said rim, and separate means .for each cross slat connecting said plies to each cross slat.

9. A fruit basket top of the character described comprising a generally circular rim, cross slats lying across and secured at their opposite ends to opposite sides of said rim, a main slat composed of a lower ply engaging the undersides of said cross slats and lying across said rim, an upper ply engaging the tcp sides of said cross slats and lying across said rirn, the opposite ends of said plies being secured together and to said rim, and separate means for each cross slat connecting said plies to each cross slat, the opposite ends of said main slat extending radially outwardly from the rim.

STlNSON HUSTON. ROBERT E. 'HUSTON. 

